The Hindu : NAM not to take up bilateral issues

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Feb 25, 2003

International

International

NAM not to take up bilateral issues

By P. S. Suryanarayana

KUALA LUMPUR FEB. 24. The Malaysian Foreign Minister, Syed Hamid Akbar, disclosed that it was decided at the first-ever interactive meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Foreign Ministers, held here on Saturday, that "bilateral issues should not be brought to the forum of NAM". It "is not the function of NAM" to play the role of a peace-broker among its member-states, he emphasised. (Malaysia is the new chairman of the NAM).

Asked about the "fierce'' exchanges between the leaders of Pakistan and India during the day, Mr. Hamid underlined, at a press briefing, that "there is nothing unusual about that''.

Amplifying, he said: "When you are in the plenary session, each country will put (forward) its own position." He drew attention to the diplomatic ferocity of the speeches that the leaders of many countries often made at the United Nations against one another.

As for the NAM, he said the question was whether "at the end of it all'', the forum could "come up with a consensus document or not''. There could even be "big differences'' between any two countries. But without getting directly involved in bilateral disputes, "we do everything possible in order to bring unity'' among the member-states.

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